Dear wikimedians,
Nearly one year ago, the Graphs extension was disabled from all wikis, because there was a security issue that should be solved (https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334940). A wide team from the WMF worked on a solution for some weeks, but after Northern Hemisphere spring ended, summer came, then the monsoon season, and now it is again summer in the Southern Hemisphere... and Graphs are still disabled. All the solutions proposed have been dismissed, but every two months there's a proposal to make a new roadmap to solve the issue. We have plenty of roadmaps, but no vehicle to reach our destination.
Seven years ago, we were discussing our Strategy for 2030. We used thousands of volunteer hours, thousands of staff hours and millions of dollars to build a really well-balanced strategy. There we concluded that "By 2030, Wikimedia will become the essential infrastructure of the ecosystem of free knowledge". We also made some recommendations to improve the User Experience (https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Movement_Strategy/Recommendations/Improve_U…) and claimed that we wanted to Innovate in Free Knowledge (https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Movement_Strategy/Recommendations/Innovate_…). Well, the situation is now worse than it was seven years ago, let me give some examples:
* Graph extension is used in thousands of pages, some of them highly relevant, as COVID or Climate Change information. There are thousands of graphs broken now, and the only partial solution give is loading these graphs as images, instead of promoting an interactive solution.
*
Meanwhile, a place like Our World in Data has been publishing data and interactive content with a compatible license for years. (Remember, "By 2030, Wikimedia will become the essential infrastructure of the ecosystem of free knowledge"). Trying to add this data and graphs to Wikimedia projects has been done by WikiMed, and it is technically possible, but still blocked to deploy (https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T303853).
* Wolfram Alpha is like a light year ahead us on giving interactive solutions to knowledge questions, even the silliest ones (https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=how+many+oranges+fit+in+the+Earth%3F). We have good technical articles about a lot of things, but sometimes "becoming the essential infrastructure of the ecosystem of free knowledge" needs to provide solutions to exact problems, like the answer to an equation, and how to solve it. That's also "free knowledge".
*
Brilliant (https://brilliant.org/) is brilliant if you want to learn lots of things, like geometry or programming. Way better than Wikipedia. But... you need to pay for it. How could we even try if we can't add anything interactive to our platforms?
* We can build interactive timelines using Wikidata, but we can't embed them at Wikipedia. Weird, because I can do it in any external page. Hopefully, Histropedia will do it better. http://histropedia.com/<http://histropedia.com/>
* We could have something very special: inline links in video and audio subtitles. We used to have them, but the new video infrastructure doesn't allow it. Imagine a world where you can watch a video and link a link in the subtitles just to know more about that.
* ...
The list can go on an on ("which phase the moon is today?"), but I think that the idea is clear. We could have interactive content, but we are going in the opposite direction, and every year we are further from our goal, because other platforms are doing it better, way better. And this seems like some wild ideas, but then I read the 2023-2024 annual plan section called "Wiki Experiences" (https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Annual_Plan/2023-2024/…) and it looks like we should be going there. But we aren't.
I'm sorry if this e-mail feels bitter. My experience in the last years is that we are now further of what we need that we were before, even if many chapters and volunteers are trying to overturn it.
Thank to everyone who have been trying.
Galder
/You can find translations of this message or help translate this
message on Meta
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_elections/2024/Announc…>./
Hello all,
Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2024 Wikimedia Foundation
Board of Trustees election
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_ele…>.
6000 community members from more than 180 wiki projects have voted.
The following four candidates were the most voted:
* Christel Steigenberger
* Maciej Artur Nadzikiewicz
* Victoria Doronina
* Lorenzo Losa
While these candidates have been ranked through the vote, they still
need to be appointed to the Board of Trustees. They need to pass a
successful background check and meet the qualifications outlined in the
Bylaws. New trustees will be appointed at the next Board meeting in
December 2024.
Read the full announcement on Meta-Wiki
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Foundation_ele…>
Best regards,
The Elections Committee and Board Selection Working Group
--
Katie Chan
Any views or opinions presented in this e-mail are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the view of any organisation the author is associated with or employed by.
Experience is a good school but the fees are high.
- Heinrich Heine
Dear all,
I would like to share with you the outputs of the Wikimedia Foundation
Affiliate Strategy process [1], and to invite you to give feedback on the
proposed changes to requirements for all affiliates & to user groups
recognition process (more below).
The 2017 Strategic Direction
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Strategy/Wikimedia_movement/2017> says
that we, the Wikimedia Movement, would build “the services and structures
that enable others to … advance our world by collecting knowledge that
fully represents human diversity” while carrying on “our mission of
developing content”. As Wikimedia affiliates are a key and integral part of
the Wikimedia movement and have knowledge and expertise to share, the
movement’s success depends greatly on affiliates as they help people join
us in doing mission-aligned work. The Wikimedia Foundation Affiliates
Strategy report [2] identified a need to streamline the role of the
Affiliations Committee (AffCom) on recognition of Wikimedia Affiliates, and
identified issues with the current state of the process.
After conversations with AffCom, the Board liaisons to AffCom identified
two areas for improvement. These areas are about the relevant work and
mandate of the Board related to affiliate recognition:
1) requirements for affiliates; and
2) improving the workflows around the process for the creation and
recognition of a user group.
The proposal on Meta [3] is suggesting to change the requirements for all
existing Wikimedia affiliates, not just the legal entities. There are ten
proposed criteria for a healthy affiliate. Examples include focusing on
continuity by being an active group and welcoming new users, having good
governance, and actively delivering on mission goals. Compliance with these
requirements would be self-reported by the affiliates. The Board liaisons
will work with the Affiliations Committee to publish a resolution outlining
how affiliates would be expected to fulfill these requirements to remain in
good standing.
Throughout the Wikimedia Foundation Affiliate Strategy process, there was
also feedback about user groups. Initially, user groups were meant as a
first step toward creating chapters or thematic organizations. Over the
years, user groups have evolved and there are now legally incorporated user
groups, user groups with boards, etc. Getting started does need to be easy,
but also needs to make sense, and so there is a proposal for changes to the
current workflow. The recommendations [3] include an outline of the
sequential steps of a revised process.
The feedback can be given from today up till March 20, 2024 (Anywhere on
Earth). Hopefully a fairly long feedback period will allow affiliates to
consult with their membership, thinking it through practically.
To provide your feedback, please review the page here, on Meta, [3] and
leave comments on the talk page. Alternatively, you can join an open
call (February
14 and 28 at 14:00 to 14:30 UTC) or request a conversation as a part of
Talking:2024
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Community_Affairs_Comm…>.
You can use the Wikimedia Foundation Community Affairs Committee/Talking:
2024#Let’s Talk|Let’s Talk
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Community_Affairs_Comm…'s_talk>
feature to sign up for a time to speak with me and other trustees about
this conversation or any other topic regarding the Wikimedia Foundation
Board, Movement Strategy, and more.
Note: New user group applications will be placed on hold for the duration
of this conversation – but the ones received before will be reviewed
according to the current process.
Best regards,
Nat & Mike & Lorenzo
Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees Liaisons to the Affiliations
Committee
[1] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Affiliates_Strategy
[2]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/Wiki…
[3]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Affiliates_Strategy/Re…
Best regards,
antanana / Nataliia Tymkiv
Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees
*NOTICE: You may have received this message outside of your normal working
hours/days, as I usually can work more as a volunteer during weekend. You
should not feel obligated to answer it during your days off. Thank you in
advance!*
Dear all,
Apologies for cross posting and writing in English!
This is a final reminder that today is the last day to apply to become a
team member for Wiki Loves Ramadan, a global campaign celebrating Ramadan
across Wikimedia projects. We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to
join us in key roles that will be essential to the event's success.
If you’re interested, please complete your application by the end of today,
October 31, 2024. There are various positions available in project
coordination, outreach, design, and technical support—something for
everyone passionate about making an impact.
*Apply Here:* Application Link
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfXiox_eEDH4yJ0gxVBgtL7jPe41TINAWY…>
For details about the roles and requirements, please see the Position
Descriptions
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oy0_tilC6kow5GGf6cEuFvdFpekcubCqJlaxkxh…>
.
Thank you for your interest and support. We’re excited to work together to
make Wiki Loves Ramadan a truly meaningful campaign!
Regards,
The Wiki Loves Ramadan Team
Dear Community,
Join us for an inspiring workshop where we celebrate women’s stories and
folklore through the lens of Wikimedia Commons. Together, we’ll learn how
to document and share our rich cultural heritage, connect with fellow
enthusiasts, and amplify the voices that shape our communities.
*Date: *November 02nd,2024
*Time:* 4:30 pm UTC - 5:30 pm UTC (check your time zone
<https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1730565000>)
*Register Now:*
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Event:Feminism_and_Folklore_2024_Advocacy_W…
*Speaker: *
Suyash Dwivedi (He/Him/His)
- Vice-Chair: Wikimedia Affiliations Committee (AffCom)
- Chair: Commons Photographers User Group (CPUG)
What to Expect:
-
Engaging discussions on the significance of folklore and feminism
-
Hands-on training on using Wikimedia Commons
-
Opportunities to share your ideas and experiences
-
Networking with like-minded individuals passionate about cultural
preservation
Don’t miss this chance to make a difference. Let’s bring our stories to the
world!
Looking forward to seeing you there!
On behalf of Wiki Loves Folklore International Team
Hey all,
You are invited to the quarterly Conversation hour led by Maggie Dennis,
Vice President of Community Resilience and Sustainability, on 31 October
2024 at 19:00 UTC <https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1730401200>.
Maggie and others from the team will discuss Trust and Safety, Committee
Support, and Human Rights.
If you are a Wikimedian in good standing (not Foundation or community
banned), write to let us know you will be attending the conversation and
share your questions. More information about attending this conversation
hour
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation/Legal/Community_Resili…>
and notes from previous conversation hours can be found on Meta-wiki
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:CR%26S_meetings>.
Best,
--
Jackie Koerner (she/her)
Communication Specialist, Community Resilience and Sustainability Location:
Midwestern US (UTC-5/-6)
Let's talk: https://calendly.com/jkoerner-wmf
Wikimedia Foundation <https://wikimediafoundation.org/>
Hello everyone,
The Romanian Wikipedia Community is happy to announce we have reached half
a million articles! The 500.000th article is [[Ulug Beg]] [1].
We would like to thank all the editors and volunteers that during the last
21 years have contributed to our project. They are the ones that made this
milestone achievable. Looking forward to working with all of you on the
next milestone.
Thank you,
Strainu
[1] https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulug_Beg
Hello everyone,
Sustaining open knowledge initiatives requires not only innovative strategies but also strong community engagement and collaborative frameworks to ensure long-term success.
I’m excited to invite you to the 22nd edition of the DCW Conversation Hour, featuring Stacy Burnett, Senior Product Manager at ITHAKA (the parent company of JSTOR). In this session, we will delve into strategies for keeping these initiatives vibrant and accessible, exploring collaborative models and community engagement, enriched by Stacy’s valuable experience.
The conversation hour is scheduled for Sunday, 27 October 2024, at 06:00 UTC (11:30 am IST).
For more details, please visit the event page on our website:
https://dcwwiki.org/dc-ev
Looking forward to your participation. Please bring along your questions!
Kind regards,
Ariba
Deoband Community Wikimedia